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ug. 7, 1956 w. v. RICHARDS WATERPROOF CONNECTOR Filed sept. 1o, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 W. v. RICHARDS WATERPROOF CONNECTOR Aug. 7, 1956 FiledSep.. l0, 1952 nited States Patent lifice WATERPROOF CONNECTOR Wayne V.Richards, deceased, late of Union City, Mich., by Myrtle L. Richards,administratrix, Union City, h/iich., assignor to Kingston ProductsCorporation, Kokomo, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application4September 10, 1952, Serial No. 308,866- `12 Claims. (Cl. 339-94) Thisinvention relates generally to separable connectors and particularly toa separable connector having component parts assembled in a novel mannerin which certain of the parts are arranged to provide a water-tight sealwhen the connector is placed in assembled relationship.

According to the general principles of the present invention, awaterproof connector is provided including a plug and a socket havingintermating current carrying means, a grommet is provided' on the plugand abuts against the ends of the socket to provide a first seal jointbetween the socket and the plug. The grommet is made of resilientelastic material such as rubber or neoprene and includes a protrudingskirt portion which is generally in the cross-sectional configuration ofan O ring and which is received in the Socket to provide a second sealbetween the longitudinally extending surfaces of the socket and theplug.

The current carrying means of the plug and socket referably comprisemale and female members having intermating means tending to draw theplug and the socket together against the bias of the resilient grommet.There is thus provided a very effective form of seal between the plugand socket so that no liquid will penetrate the enclosure in which thecurrent carrying means are housed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedwaterproof connector which is formed of a reduced number of greatlysimplified parts and which will be eifectvely sealed against uidinfiltration.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simplifiedmulti-wire terminal connector which is inexpensive to manufacture andwhich is completely waterproof when assembled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a separableconnector having a plurality of waterproof joints forming a seal betweenthe separable elements of the connector.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the presentinvention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon makingreference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanyingsheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodimentincorporating the principles of my invention is shown by way ofillustrative example.

On the drawings:

Figure l is an elevational view of a two-wire connector incorporatingthe principles of the present invention;

Figulre` 2, is an end elevational view of the two-wire connector shownin Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line lll-lllof Figure 2 withA parts shown` in elevation revealing additional detailsof structure of the twowire connector shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 is an exploded view showing additional construction details ofsome. of the elements utilized in accordance withA the principles of thepresent invention;

2,758,291 Patented Aug. 7, 1956 Figure 5 is a cross sectional view withparts shown in elevation of a three-wire connector provided inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the three-wire connector shown inFigure 5;

Figure 7 is a four-wire connector provided in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a modied grommet provided inaccordance with the principles of the present invention.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure l a two-wire connector is indicated generally at 10 andcomprises a socket member 11 receiving a rst plug member 12 in one endand a second plug member 13 in the other end. Each of the plug members12 and 13 is identical insofar as structural detail is concerned and,accordingly, only a single set of reference numerals will be applied infurther describing same.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that the two-wireconnector 10 comprises a generally tubular housing 14 made of insulatingmaterial and having an open ended bore 16 provided with an internalmedial shoulder or annular rib 17.

A current continuing member indicated generally at 18 is inserted intothe housing. The current continuing member 18 preferably comprises aformed cylindrical tube having opposed struck-out ears indicated at 19which engage opposite sides of the shoulder 17, thereby to retain thecurrent continuing member 18 firmly in place within the housing 14. Thecurrent continuing member 18 is preferably made out of an electricallyconductive metal embodying suflcient resilience so that insertion of thecurrent continuing member 18 into the housing 14 may be effected eventhough the tongues 19 extend radially outwardly beyond the innerdiameter of the annular shoulder 17. Thus, as the current continuingmember 18 is inserted into the housing 14, the tongues 19 will bedepressed in passing the shoulder 1'/ and will snap in behind theshoulder 17 so that the oppositely disposed tongues 19 will engageopposite sides of the annular shoulder 17.

On each end of the current continuing member 18 is provided a generallycylindrical socket portion 20 which is surrounded by a sleeve 21 adaptedto improve the resilience of the respective socket portions 20.

Each of the socket portions 20 is provided with a radially inwardlyextending embossment or struck-out portion providing an ear 22 which isadapted to cooperate with a plug member received in the socket portion20 as will be more fully described hereinafter. Each socket portion 2i)is longitudinally split to. resiliently engage the plug member.

In connection with the housing 14, it may be noted that each end of thehousing 14 is provided with a transverse sealing face 23 which lies on aplane normal to the axis of the tubular housing 14. Additionally, eachend of the housing 14 is provided with a tapered mouth 24 which not onlyassists in locating a plug member inserted into the housing 14 forcooperation with the current continuing member 18 but also which forms'a sealing face lying on a plane intersecting the plane of the sealingface 23 and also. intersecting the longitudinal plane including the axisof the tubular housing 14.

Each of the plug members 12 `and 1'3 comprise the terminal ends of aconductor wire indicated at 26. The conductor wire 26 is preferablycovered by 1a layer of insulating material forming a cylindricaly sheath28. In making up the plug members 12 and 13, the conductor wire 26 isbared near the terminal end thereof by removing a portion of thecylindrical sheath 28 whereupon a generally tubular current carryingmember 29 is swaged to the con ductor `rvire 26 as at a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced points indicated generally at 30.

The current carrying member 29 has -a closed tapered finding end 31 anda generally cylindrical body portion which terminates in an enlargedannular rib indicated at 32. The current carrying member 29 is providedwith a recess 33 receiving the Wire conductor 26, which recess isenlarged in the rib 32 as is indicated at 34 so ias to accommodate notonly the wire conductor 26 but also a portion of the insulating materialor sheath 28 covering the wire.

A medial annular groove 37 is provided in the body portion of thecurrent carrying member 29 and is longitudinaliy aligned inpredetermined spaced relation to the rib 32. The groove 37 cooperateswith the embossments or tongues 22 which are formed in the socketportion 2i) ot the current continuing member 18, thereby to exert anadditional retaining force on the current carrying member 29 whichsupplements the forces tending to retain the current carrying member 29in inserted assembly With respect to the current continuing member 18.

Since each of the socket portions 2G takes the form of a spiitcylindrical tube surrounded by the sleeve 21, it is preferred that themating parts -are proportioned to resiiientiy engage one another whenthe current carrying member 29 is inserted into the socket portion 20 ofthe current continuing member 18.

in order to isolate the current carrying components of the connector it)in a water tight sealed relation within the housing i4, each of the plugmembers 12 and 13 carries a grommet indicated generally at 38 which ismade of a resilient and elastic material such as rubber or anoilresistant material such as neoprenef or the like.

In Figure 4, the particular details of construction of the grommet 33are shown. The grommet 33 preferably takes the form of a generallycylindrical tube having a tirst sealing face 39 lying on a planegenerally transverse to the axis thereof and which is adapted toengagingy abut the corresponding face 23 of the housing 14 of the socketmember 11.

Protruding from the sealing face 39 is a skirt or bead portion 4t?shaped to conform generally with the shape ot the open ended boreextending through the housing 1d in the socket member 11 and received inthe bore 16 to sealingly engage the walls of the bore 16, therebyproviding a second scaling face 4l which is generally longitudinallydisposed with respect to the axis or both the grommet 38 and the housing14. It will be appreciated that for best sealing results, the bead 40may be made slightly larger than the bore 16 so Ias to be deformablycompressed against both the current carrying member 29 and the housingi4, thereby forming a tight seal between the plug members 12 and 13 andthe socket member 11. In cross section, the bead 40 resembles an O ring.

The grommet 33 additionally provides a tapered sealing surface 42 whichlies generally between the sealing face 33 and the head 4t) and which isangularly disposed so as to lie in a plane intersecting the planeincluding the sealing face 35'* and the plane including the sealing face41. The sealing tace 42 abuttingly engages the corresponding taperedthroat or sealing face 24 of the housing 14 of the socket member 11.

In the particular embodiment herein disclosed, the sealing face 39 isprovided on one side of an annular rib 43 located adjacent one end ofthe grommet 33. Such embodiment further includes a skirt portion 44 ofsomewhat sm alter size which extends away from the annular rib 43, theskirt portion 44 being adapted to surround and engage the insulationsheath 28 surrounding the conductor Wire 26.

The grommet 3S is provided with an open ended bore extendingtherethrough and which is somewhat complexly shaped, one end of the openended bore including a generally cylindrical recess portion 46 adaptedto snugly surround the body portion of the current carrying member 29.There is also provided a recess 47 in the open ended bore whichcorresponds in configuration to the enlarged annular rib 32 Aand whichis adapted to snugly receive the rib 32. it will be noted that therecess 47 includes a shoulder 48 and a shoulder 49 at the oppositerespective ends thereof, which shoulders engage corresponding shoulders50 and Si respectively on opposite sides of the annular rib 32 so as tolock the grommet 38 and the current carrying member 39 in xedlongitudinal alignment.

The open ended bore of the grommet 38 further includes a reduced neckportion 52 which snugly engages the insulation sheath 28 immediatelybehind the annular rib 32. As shown in Figure 4, the reduced neck 52diverges outwardly as at 53 and terminates in a generally cylindricalrecess portion 54.

After the grommet 38 has been assembled on the plug member 12 or theplug member 13, insertion of the plug member 12 or 13 into the socket 11can be effected whereupon the sealing faces 23 and 39 will cooperativelyengage one another, the sealing faces 42 and 24 will cooperativelyengage one another, and the sealing face 41 and the inner bore 16 of thehousing 14 will cooperatively engage one another. Thus, elective sealwill be provided between the socket 11 and the plug 12 precluding theentry of uid into the interior of the housing 4) between these twocomponents.

The fitted relationship of the grommet 38 on the current carrying member29 and the sheath 28 will also preclude leakage of tiuid axially alongthe peripheral suriace ot the plug member 12.

According to the pninciples of the present invention, the cooperationbetween the groove 37 and the embossments or tongues 22 may develop anadditional function in drawing the plug member 12 and the socket member1li together axially. It will be noted that the groove 37 provided inthe body portion of the current carrying member 29 is arcuately shapedin cross section. This particular configuration provides a cammingsurface which, upon engaging the embossments or tongues 22 develops avfcdging action tending to draw the plug member 12 and the socket member11 together axially, thereby urging the housing 14 against the resilientbias of the grommet 38 in promoting a particularly eicient water tightseal at the sealing surfaces 23, 39, 24 and 42.

In many uses in the tield, it is desirable that one terminal be the socalled hot terminal and in order to des-ignate same, the appropriategrommet 33 aixed to the hot terminal may be made of a diiterent coloredresilient elastic material.

Furthermore, since it is desirable that the hot terminal not be subjectto inadvertent or accidental removal with the consequent possibility ofgrounding against an adjacent metal part, it may be desirable to modifythe groove 37 provided in the current carrying member 29 as is indicatedon the right hand side of Figure 3. It will be noted that the annulargroove provided in the shoulder portion of the current carrying member29 on the right hand side of Figure 3 includes a recess 37a having ashoulder 56 at one end thereof so that the embossments or tongues 22 cansnap in behind the shoulder to retain the hot terminal in assemblytherewith. The annular groove 37a is further provided with a taperedcamming surface diverging away from the shoulder 56 which is indicatedat 57. Such camming surface operj ates to tend to draw the plug andsocket together against the resilience of the grommet.

In Figure 5 is shown a three-wire connector indicated generally by thereference numeral 60. A housing 61 comprises a housing member 62 havinga flange 63 at one end adjacent a shoulder 64. A second housing member66 is provided with a ange 67 complementary in conguration to the flange63 and arranged to be telescopically received therein. It will be notedthat the peripheral surface of the flange 63 and the peripheral surfaceof the body member 66 lie ush with one another after S. the body members62 and 66 are assembled together. In order to retain the body members 62and 66 infirm as-v sembly, a suitable cementing compound or adhesive maybe provided at the fianges 63 and 67.

It will be noted that the body member 62 is provided with a plurality ofprotruding boss portions which are indicated at 68. Each of the bo-ssportions 68 has a generally cylindrical recess 691 formed therein andopening outwardly thereof so as to receive a socket portion 70. of acurrent continuing member 71.

The current continuing member 71 is preferably formed from a sheet likematerial made of metal or the like and may comprise a stamping havingthe socket portions 70 formed as cylindrical portions having alongitudinal slit therein. Each of the socket portions 7,0 is surroundedby a sleeve 72 which enhances the resilient assembly of a plug memberindicated generally at 12,

The body member 66 is provided with a reduced neck 73 having a recessformed therein indicated at 74 receiving a socket portion 76 provided bythe current continuinfy member 71. The Socket portion 76 islongitudinally split as at 77v and is surrounded by a sleeve 78 whichenhances the electrical connection between the socket portion 76 and theplug member 12 received therein.

In Figure 7, a four-wire connector is indicated generally by thereference numeral 80. A first body member indicated at S1 has a ange 82at one end thereof receiving a complementary shaped flange 83 of aSecond, body member S4. Each of the housing members 8,1 and 84 isprovided with a plurality of boss portions 8.6 each being provided witha recess 87 adapted to receive a socket portion 88 formed on the cornerportions of a stamped current continuing member 89. The respectivesocket portions S8 are each surrounded by a metal Sleeve 90 whichoperates to improve the electrical Contact between the socket portions 88 and each of the plug members 12 inserted into the socket portions.

In each of the embodiments shownA the various nlug members 12 are sealedwith respect to the housing members in the same manner as has beendescribed in detail in connection with the embodiment shown in Figures1-4. Body members 62 and 66 of Figure 5, and body members 81 and 84 ofFigure 7 provide the sealing faces 23 and 24 at the end of the recesses69, 74, 87 and these sealing faces cooperate with each of the grommets38 so as to isolate the current continuing members 71 and 89 againstleakage within the housings.

In Figure 8 is shown an embodiment of the principles of the presentinvention Suitable for use with al single connector. The currentcarrying member is indicated at 29a and is carried on the end of aconductor wire covered by an insulating sheet 28a. The current carryingmember 29a is swaged as at 30a and includes a closed tapered end 31a atone end and an enlarged rib. 32a at the other end.

A medial groove 37a is provided on the body portion of the currentcarrying member 29a. The sealing grommet is indicated at 38a andstructurally is very similar to the grommet 38 described in connectionwith the other ernbodiments of the invention. Similar reference numeralsbearing the suix a have been applied to the grommet wherever thestructural features are identical, however, it will be noted that thegrommet 38a is provided with an additional structural feature whichcomprises an enlarged flexible skirt portion 96 which extends axiallyaway from the shoulder 43a so as to provide a recess 97 around the endof the current carrying member 29a.

The end of the skirt 96 is indicated at 98 and it will be noted that theend portion 98 extends beyond the end of the current carrying member29a.

A pocket member indicated in phantom and identified by the referencenumeral 100 will be received in the skirt 96.

Although various minor structural modifications might be suggested bythose versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embodywithin the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modificationsas reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution tothe art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a waterproof connector, a conductor having a plug swaged on theend thereof, said plug comprising a generally cylindrical currentcarrying member having a medial annular groove formed in the peripheralsurface thereof and terminating in an enlarged annular rib, Saidconductor having a sheath of insulating material extending away fromsaid annular rib, and a grommet on said conductor comprising a sleevemade of resilient elastic material and having a skirt portion engagingsaid insulating material, and an internal recess conforming in shape tosaid anular rib and receiving same to lock said grommet against axialdisplacement on said conductor, an annular shoulder on said grommet, abead formed to provide an integral O ring on said grommet adjacent saidshoulder and surrounding said current carrying member in spaced relationto said annular groove, a socket having a current continuing memberprovided with a tongue seating in said annular groove, and a housing forsaid socket having a sealing face engaging said shoulder and i a recessreceiving said current carrying member and said bead, said recessconforming in shape to. said bead but being of slightly smaller size topromote a seal between said plug and said socket.

2. In a waterproof connector as defined in claim 1, said annular groovebeing arcuately shaped in cross-sec tion to provide a curved cammingsurface cooperatively engaging said tongue for drawing said socket andsaid plug together against the resilience of the grommet.

3. In a waterproof connector as defined in claim 1, said annular groovehaving a retainer shoulder and said tongue being resilient and snappingin behind said shoulder to retain said plug in said socket in assembledrelation.

4` In a waterproof connector as defined in claim 3, said annular groovealso having a tapered camming surface diverging away from the saidretainer shoulder there.- of and cooperating with said tongue to drawsaid plug and said socket together against the resilience of saidgrommet.

5. Aline connector comprising, an. openrended tubular housing providingan open-ended bore: having an internal medial shoulder therein, acurrent continuing; member assembled in said housing and having socketportions at yopposite ends thereof, said current continuing memberfurther including ears engaging opposite sides of said shoulder, each ofsaid socket portions having a tongue extending inwardly into therespective socketv portion, a terminal plug inserted into each end ofsaid housing and each having a current carrying member engaging acorresponding socket portion of said current continuing mem.- ber, eachof said current carrying members having an annular groove formed,therein cooperating with a corresponding one of said tongues to retainsaid plugs andk said socket in assembly, and a grommet on each terminalplug made of elastic resilient material, said grommet having an annularshoulder engaging a corresponding end of said housing to provide aradially extending sealed joint and a bead on said grommet formed toprovide an integral O ring corresponding in shape to said bore andreceived therein, said bead engaging said housing to provide alongitudinally extending sealed joint between said terminal plug andsaid housing.

6. A line connector as defined in claim 5 wherein said tubular housingis provided with a tapered mouth in the opposite ends of said open-endedbore and said grommet includes a correspondingly shaped tapered seatingsurface between said shoulder and said bead engaging said tapered seatto provide a tapered sealing joint between said plug and said housing.

7. A Waterproof connector comprising a socket, a plug,

and a grommet on said plug abutting against the end of said socket andforming together therewith a radially extending sealed joint between thesocket and the grommet, said grommet being made of resilient elasticmaterial and including a first skirt portion received in said socket andforming together with the socket a longitudinally extending sealingsurface between the socket and the plug, said grommet including aconcentrically outwardly spaced second skirt portion providing a recessfor receiving at least a portion of said socket.

8. A waterproof connector comprising a socket, a plug, and a grommet onsaid plug abutting the end of said socket and forming together therewitha iirst radially extending sealing joint between the socket and thegrommet, said grommet being made of resilient elastic rnaterial andincluding a rst skirt portion formed to provide an integral O ringreceived in said socket and forming together therewith a longitudinallyextending sealing surface between the socket and the plug, said plughaving a current carrying member extending through said tirst skirtportion, said socket having a current carrying member receiving thecurrent carrying member of said plug, and a concentrically outwardlyspaced second skirt portion on said grommet extending beyond the end ofsaid current carrying member of said plug and forming a recess aroundsaid current carrying member of said plug, at least a portion of saidsocket being received in said second skirt portion.

9. A Waterproof connector comprising a rigid generally tubularreceptacle, a pair of conductors, a pair of plugs on the ends of saidconductors and received in opposite ends of said rigid tubularreceptacle, a resilient grommet snapped on each of said plugs, eachgrommet comprising a cylindrical sleeve concentric to said conductors,and an integral O ring section projection at one end thereof receivedinside of and resiliently engaging said rigid tubular receptacle, andinterlocking detent means between said plugs and said receptacleresiliently biased when in locked together relationship by saidgrommets, said grommets being resiliently deformed against saidreceptacle to form a water-tight joint around said conductors, saidgrommet having a skirt portion formed to receive the adjoining endportion of said tu bular receptacle.

10. A separable connector comprising, in combination, an open-endedtubular socket having continuous generally cylindrical walls, a currentcontinuing member therein, a plug inserted in each end of said socketand received by said current continuing member, resilient grommet meanscarried by each of said plugs and engaging said socket, and interlockingmembers between said current continuing member and said plugselastically deforming said grommet means, thereby forming a water-tightseal between said plugs and said socket, said grommet means each havingan integral O ring section projection received in and resilientllyengaging the cylindrical walls of said socket, said seal beingresiliently locked by a positive resilient locking bias provided by thedeformation of lll 8 said grommet means and further including a skirtportion concentrically outwardly of said O ring projection to receive anadjoining end of said socket therein.

11. A separable connector comprising a socket having a wall formed toprovide a recess at opposite ends thereof, a plug received in each saidrecess and having a resilient elastic grommet engaging said wall at theedges of said recess to provide a first sealing joint between the plugand the socket, an integral O ring protuberance formed on said grommetand received in said recess and being complementary in shape thereto,said protuberance forming together with said socket a second sealingjoint between said plug and said socket, and intermating currentcontinuing means between said said socket and said plugs interlockedagainst the resilient bias of said grommets, thereby deforming saidgrommets to form a watertight seal at the locale of said socket andplugs, said grommet having a skirt portion concentrically outwardly ofsaid protuberance to receive an adjoining portion of said Wall of saidsocket therein.

12. A line connector comprising, an open-ended tubular housing providingan open-ended bore having an internal medial shoulder therein, acurrent-continuing member assembled in said housing and having socketportions at opposite ends thereof, said current-continuing memberfurther including ears engaging opposite sides of said shoulder, each ofsaid socket portions having an ear extending inwardly into therespective socket portion, a terminal plug inserted into each end ofsaid housing and each having a current-carrying member engaging acorresponding socket portion of said current-continuing member, each ofsaid current-carrying members having an annular groove formed thereincooperating with a corresponding one of said ears to retain said plugsand said socket in assembly, and a grommet on each terminal plug made ofelastic resilient material and having a iirst skirt portion for engaginga corresponding terminal plug and a second skirt portion of largerdiameter than said first skirt portion and spaced concentricallyoutwardly of said current-carrying member of the corresponding terminalplug to receive and seal against the adjoining peripheral surface of acorresponding end of said tubular housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,871,397 Watts Aug. 9, 1932 1,918,071 Watts July 11, 1933 2,037,630Hudson Apr. 14, 1936 2,253,593 Warren Aug. 26, 1941 2,342,711 Wade Feb.29, 1944 2,567,727 Quackenbush Sept. l1, 1951 2,626,299 Richards Ian.20, 1953 2,677,115 Stevens Apr. 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 490,013 GreatBritain Aug. 5, 1938

